Cast-off



Jan. 12, 1932.

B. T. LEVE QUE CAS 1' OFF Filed Nov. 5 1929 lzy entvr z az 44M m p 4;,-

Patented Jan. 12, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BERNARD T. LEVEQUE, OF WENHAM, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOB TO UNITED SHOE MACHINERY CORPORATION, OF PATERSON, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY CAST-OFF Application filed November 30, 1929. Serial No. 410,758.

The present invention relates to cast-offs for straight hook needles such as are used inshoe sewing machines of the McKay type, in which the needle and cast-ofi cooperate with a needle-threading device or whirl mounted in the tip of the rotatable horn serving'as the work-support, in the formation of the well-known single-thread chain stitch.

Difficulty has been experienced in maintaining the cast-ofii' at all times in proper engagement with the needle. Owing to imperfections in manufacture or bending of the parts, the cast-off is apt to bear too heavily against the needle, with consequent friction and Wear of the parts, or on the other hand, is apt, to be out of contact with the needle entirely, resulting in its failure properly to clear the loop away from the hook of the nee- V dle and thus giving rise to uncertain and faulty operation of the'sewing machine.

The object of the invention is to provide novel and improved means for adjusting the working end of the cast-off into proper work ing relation with respect to the side of the 2 needle, and for adjusting and maintaining the degree of pressure with which the cast-off engages the needle when in such working relation.

, With this object in view, the features of the invention consist in the devices, combinations,

and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed. which together with the advantages obtained thereby will be readily understood by those skilled in the art from the following description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a partly sectional view in' elevation of the lower end of the needle-bar, the needle,

the tip of the work-support, and the whirl therein, of a typical McKay sewing machine,

with the devices of the invention applied thereto; Fig. 2 is a view of the needle, the

needle-bar, cast-offand the devices of the invention made in horizontal section on line 22 of Fig. 1.

The invention is herein disclosed as applied to the stitch-forming devices of a typical Mc- Kay shoe sewing machine such as is illustrated and described in applicants U. S. Patent No. 1,7 38,778 issued on December 10, 1929,

for improvement in sewing machines, to which patent reference may be had for a complete description of the entire machine, as well as the construction and operation of the needle, needle-bar, cast-off and such other parts illustrated herein as are not fully described hereinafter. The invention is particularly adapted for use in chain stitch shoe sewing machines of the McKay type, but it is not necessarily limited in its application to such types of machines.

Having reference to the drawings, at 2 is indicated the lower portion of the needlebar of a McKay machine, the end of which is reduced in diameter, split, and provided with an axial bore into which fits the butt of the needle 4 which is of the common straight hook type. The needle-bar is grooved along one side as indicated at 6, and in the'groove thus formed is located the castofi 8 attached at its upper end to means not shown which give it an up-and-down movement in a path parallel to that of the needle in properly timed relation to perform its function of descending upon the work 10 after the needle has pierced the latter, thrusting aside the previously-formed loop standing around the needle shank, and then acting as a guard over the hook of the needle to prevent catching of such previouslyformed loop by the hook as the needle is withdrawn. At 12 is indicated the whirl which is revolved within the work rest or horn 14 to lay the thread 16 within the hook of the needle.

To provide for adjustment of the working end 18 of the cast-ofi' into proper proximity with the side of the needle and obviate the faulty relations referred to hereinbefore, the invention provides adjusting means for the cast-off comprising a collar 20 fitting upon the reduced end of the needle bar 2 and maintained in fixed position thereon by means of the clamping screw 22 threaded through a boss 24 upon the collar and bearing against the flatted side of the needle bar, this arrangement also serving to clamp the needle in the axial bore in which the butt of the needle is received. The collar 20 is provided with a recem 26 considerably larger than the diam- Q the needle is practically eliminated.

bar, so as to give latitude-for adjustment means now to be described.- Y

A strap 28 is also applied to the reduced end of the needle bar, being provided with an elongated holeBO which is of a width sufficient to fit easily the diameter of such reduced portion, the strap being confined between the surface of the collar 20 and. the shoulder left upon reducing the diameter of the needle bar at its lower end. The hole 30 is of; slightly more than suificient length-to include both the reduced portion of the needlebar and the cast-ofi 8. Holes 32 and 34 are respectively formedflin the laterally extending portions of the strap 28 and the collar 20, the holes being of difl'erent diameters to receive each its proper portion of an adjusting pin 36 located within these holes, and having a'concentric portion 38 occupying the hole 34 in the collar, and an eccentric portion 40 filling the'hole in the strap 28. Through this arrangement, it will be obvious that rotation of the pin 36 will cause its ec-' centric portion 40 to impart movement to the strap'28 with respect to the collar 20 in a direction transversely of the axis of the needle bar. This movement is utilized to adjust the working end 18 of the cast-oil 8 toward the needle and to govern the degree of pressure with which the cast-oil is pressed against the side of the needle, the cast-off having first been formed or purposely sprung so as to tend to assume a spaced relation away from the side of the needle if freed from the restraint of the strap 28. V

3 The pin 36 is provided with holes 42 in its head into which an instrument may be inserted for rotating the pin to adjust the cast-off towardthe needle, and its lower end projecting below the lateral extension on the collar 20 is threaded and provided with a lock nut 44 which when tightened retains the parts in the relation to which they have been adjusted.

By the novel devices of the invention, the cast-oil is controlled in close proximity to its working end, so that the problem'of spring in the length of the cast-oil as affecting the constancy of its bearing against the side of Further, the presence of the adjustng'means in fixed relation upon the'needle bar and moving therewith adds to the'efi'ectiveness and constancy of the control exercised over the pressure of the cast-off against the needle.

The nature and scope of the invention having been indicated, and the construction embodying the invention having been specifically described, what is claimed is 1; A sewing machine having, in combination, stitch-forming devices including a needle-bar, a needle carried by the needlebar, a cast-off cooperating with the needle, and means upon the needle-bar acting upon the cast-oil within the length of the needle to adjustthe Working end of the cast-ofi? to ward and from the needle.

2. A sewing machine having, in combination, stitch-forming devices including a needle-bar, a needle 'carried'by the needlebar, a cast-ofi' cooperating with the needle, and guiding means for the working end of the cast-oft, mounted upon the needle-bar and adjustable to vary the pressure of the cast-off strap encircling the needle-bar and the cast ofi mounted to move with the needle and relatively to the cast-off, ,and adjustable to press the cast-oil against the needle with a greater or less degree of pressure as desired.

5. A sewing machine having, in combination, stitch-forming devices including a needle-bar, a needle carried by the needle-bar, a cast-ofi" cooperating with the needle, a strap encircling the needle-bar and the cast-ofi mounted to move with theneedleand'relatively to the cast-off, and cam means for causing the strap to press the cast-oft against the needle with a greater or less degree of pressure as desired. 7 I

6. A sewing machine having, in combination, stitch-forming devices including a needle-bar, a needle carried by the needle-bar,

a cast-off cooperating with the needle, means for securing the needle inplace in the needlebar, a member in connection with such means adapted to draw the lower end of the cast-off toward the needle, and means for effecting relative adjustment of such member withrespect to the needle-securing vmeans.

7 A sewing machine having, in combination, stitch-forming devices including a needle-bar, a needle carried by the needle-bar, a cast-oil cooperating with the needle, a collar fixed upon the lower end of the needle-bar, a member adapted to surround the needle-bar and the cast-01f, and a pin passing through the collar and the member and having an eccentric portion engaging the member whereby upon rotation of the pin a relative move ment may be given the member causing the latter to draw the cast-ofl toward the needle.

8. A sewing machine having, in combination, stitch-forming devices ineludin a needle-bar, a needle carried by the needlear, a cast-01f cooperating with the needle, and means upon the needle-bar mounted to move with the needle and relatively to the cast-off acting upon the cast-01f intermediate the latters length and having adjustable capacity for pressing the cast-oil toward the needle.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

BERNARD T. LEVEQUE. 

